YASIN J. NASIR
Geranium pratense** sensu Kitamura
Perennial. Rhizome stout, oblique. Stem(s) ascending, pubescent-retrorsely hairy. Leaves palmatisect, 5-7-angled, 3-10 cm broad. Segments rhomboid to acute, adpressed hairy or pubescent, lobes acute or obtuse. Stipules 6-9 mm long, subulate-lanceolate. Petiole of radical leaves up to 23 cm long, upper most cauline leaves sessile. Peduncles 2-flowered, 3-14 cm long, glandular hairy, sometimes retrorsely pubescent. Bracts similar to stipules, (0.3-) 0.6-1 cm long, scarious and brown, pubescent. Pedicel 0.9-3 cm long, glandular-hairy or pubescent, deflexed in fruit. Flowers 3-3.5 cm broad. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-1 cm long, glandular-pubescent, awn 1.5-2.5 mm long. Petals purple blue, 16-22 mm long, claw ciliate. Filaments gradually narrowed upwards, base ciliate. Mericarps 4 mm long, pubescent glandular. Beak 18-22 mm long, glandular pubescent. Seeds c. 3 mm long, minutely reticulate.
Fl. Per.: July-August.
Type: Mana, Jaugliq, 11,000', Edgeworth 18(K).
Distribution: N.W. temperate Himalaya, Afghanistan.
Differs from the European and C. Asiatic Geranium pretense in its more or less ascending habit, the angular and smaller leaves, shorter sepal awn and larger petal length (17-20 mm long). The size of the flower is variable. Specimen no. 127 from Sho Nala (Swat) has the facies of Geranium nuristanicum but differs in the glandular pedicels and larger flower parts.